Striking Serpent
by Foxwithgrayeyes
Summary: Hermione somehow falls in love with Draco but knows they will never work. Intensity ensues. I seriously stink at summarys. PLEASE REAAAAAAAAAAD! Please? Please?
1. Chapter 1

He wasn't used to being confused or uncertain. It simply wasn't within his nature. All his life he had known exactly who he was and what he wanted. He was Draco Malfoy, a pureblood wizard from one of the best and oldest wizarding families in England. Since he had been young all he had wanted was power, respect and to make his father proud of him. But somehow he was finding himself more and more confused and nothing quite made sense anymore. And because of what? A girl? Draco put his head in his hands and clenched his eyes shut. This couldn't be happening to him.

She was in just the same predicament as he was. She had never felt so confused in all her life. She had been shocked to find out she was a witch. Other than that she had always known exactly who she was. She made goals and then she achieved them. This goal though…Hermione knew it could never work. She tried to banish him from her mind and she bent over her papers again. As his face infiltrated her every thought she threw her quill down and cried, "Why do I even care?"

It had all started two years ago, fourth year, in potions of all places. Hermione couldn't believe she'd allowed herself to fall in love in potions class. How completely unromantic was that? But it had happened. Slowly, and nearly imperceptibly, she had realized she didn't hate him quite so much as she thought…

A/N: First time doing this ship and I'm EXCITED! Please review. Loves.


	2. Chapter 2

There had certainly always been a sort of chemistry between them. She had always found him handsome, although certainly nasty and cruel. He had always been impressed with her intelligence. At first Draco had been irked by Hermione's book smarts. He didn't like being showed up, he was used to being dominant. He enjoyed the feeling of power, of being the best. The thing was, the reason he needed to feel that way was because of his family. It was something he couldn't help. His father and mother expected a lot from him. He was their only child, the heir to the Malfoy fortune and a wizard from one of the longest lines of Purebloods left in England. All his life he knew that being reasonably good at something, at anything, just wasn't going to cut it. He needed to be better than that. He hated how the Granger girl, a muggle, made him feel so stupid. She always had the perfect answers, always knew the correct way to do everything. What he truly felt was impressed, but he could not view it that way. He needed to surpass her. It needed to be a challenge. As he stared at her across his cauldron he resolved to make the potion better than her. Suddenly he realized something, he didn't want to have a better potion because hers was ruined. It wasn't sabotage he longed for. He truly wanted to make a better potion than she did. He needed to. He was completely taken by surprise when Hermione's head snapped up and their eyes locked. That was a feeling he had in no way been prepared for.

Hermione rarely felt nervous about classes unless they were final exams but potions always put her a little on edge, especially because Snape hated her. She'd carefully listened to the professor's instructions regarding the brew, and was looking in her book, making sure she understood all the elements of the recipe. She hated messing up; it was something she just wasn't accustomed to. The entire time she spent reviewing the potion in her book she felt that strange pressure, the feeling someone was looking at her. She didn't look up, reassuring herself that she was imagining things. Why would someone be staring at her randomly in potions class. She was fairly confident she wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. She self-consciously fingered her hair, making sure it wasn't sticking up too much. As she finished rereading the instructions the feeling had not subsided. As her head snapped up their eyes locked. Hermione felt herself drawn into Draco's gaze. She'd never really noticed his eyes before. They were gray, but not the flat gray which held no feeling the way some gray eyes did. She actually saw a lot of emotion there but she was confused by what she saw. _This cannot be happening,_ she thought and she immediately began dicing her first ingredient.

* * *

Hermione had been very careful to avoid Draco's gaze the rest of the class period. She was quite sure he'd looked at her again, but she refused to make a fool of herself by returning the gaze. By the end of the class Hermione wasn't even sure she'd done her potion right. She'd been nervous and on edge the entire time. Why would Draco Malfoy be watching her? As she left the classroom she didn't wait for Harry and Ron. Her thoughts were racing. _I know I wasn't imagining things. He _was_ looking at me. But why? We haven't spoken in ages and all he ever says to me are cruel remarks about my parents. _She shook her head. _Maybe,_ she reasoned._ Maybe he was just ready to pick on me again and was coming up with new things he could say._ She knew that wasn't true though. The look on his face and been one she'd never seen from him before. It wasn't that self-assured smirk she had grown to dread. He looked confused. He looked thoughtful. But more than anything he had looked...vulnerable. This was one thing Draco was not.  
"'Mione! Wait up!"  
Hermione turned and saw Ron chasing her down the hall, Harry right behind him.  
"Sorry guys," she said, as they caught up with her. "I was just thinking."  
"Do you think better when you run?" Harry asked, laughing. "The way you took off, Ron thought he had offended you again."  
"No. No, it wasn't that at all. Honestly, Ronald, you don't offend me all that much."  
Harry and Ron exchanged glances and began laughing. Hermione joined in too. "Well..maybe." she admitted. She decided to banish Draco from her mind for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe he'd just been zoning out and she'd looked up at the wrong moment. She tried to let herself relax and continued down the hallway with her friends.

* * *

That night as Hermione laid in bed that look on Draco's face seemed pasted inside her eyelids. Everytime her eyes shut it was all she could see. She tried all the things that normally helped her sleep; going over different symbols for ancient runes in her mind, reciting the introduction of "Hogwarts, A History", and even the mundane counting sheep, by twelves of course. Nothing was working however. She impatiently grabbed a sheet of parchment from the small night table by her bed and a quill.  
"Lumos" she whispered, holding her wand though so the light from its tip wouldn't interrupt the other girls in the dormitory. She titled the page "Draco" and made a chart. One side filled with "Things Draco is" and the other "Things Draco isn't". By the time she was done it contained Draco is: cruel, nasty, rich, blond, arrogant, and handsome. Handsome had been crossed out, and then rewritten as she admitted it was true. The other side of the page read. Draco Isn't: nice, worth my time, vulnerable, scared, poorly built. She read over the page. Twice. Three times. _This is Draco! _she told herself._ Why am I wasting my time on Draco? _She shoved the sheet of parchment under her bed, something she never did, flipped over and pulled her pillow over her head. It took a long time for her to fall asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It was almost a week later and Hermione had almost convinced herself that what she saw in Draco's eyes was only boredom and that she had only been imagining things. During the day she managed to focus on her school work, and to have fun with Ron and Harry. At night though she had no such self control. Hermione dreamed of Draco almost every night. Some nights the dreams were fairly tame, about him smiling at her or simply looking at her again with that expression he'd had - not mocking her and not looking down on her. Other nights her dreams were vivid and involved quite a bit more than smiling or exchanging kind looks. After those dreams she woke up and hoped beyond hope that Draco might be dreaming about her too. Hermione was starting to feel worried.

One night in the Great Hall Hermione couldn't help but stare as he walked past. The way he carried himself was amazing. Was he really all that arrogant or was he just confident? Or was it all a show entirely? She caught her breath as Ron elbowed her in the ribs.

"I haven't seen you looking that dazed since Lockhart taught in our second year," Ron teased. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," Hermione said hurriedly, turning her face down to her food. "I was just thinking about..."

"About what?" Harry asked, joining in.

"About the Charms homework." Hermione finished lamely.

Hermione knew it was a lame excuse but her friends believed it. They laughed and began talking about Quidditch, one of their favorite topics. Hermione glanced up at Draco one more time, trying to be discreet. She was amazed to see him looking back at her. Her heart quickened as a slight, almost imperceptible smile began on Draco's lips, but she watched as he whispered into Crabbe's ear, pointed at her, and they both started laughing. Her cheeks flushed red. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid._ I am going to find a way to end this stupid obsession with Draco Malfoy_, she vowed. And an opportunity to do just that presented itself very soon.

* * *

That night Draco couldn't sleep. He'd caught Hermione staring at him. Twice. Was it any of her business to look at him? To confuse him that way? Draco was angry. She had no right. No right to bewitch him the way she was, when she was muggle born, and he had values to uphold. _I'm just out of my game. _He told himself._ This isn't attraction. It's boredom. Plus she hates me, and I always go for the challenge. I just need to find a different target._ And while those thoughts comforted him, he still was unable to relax. He could make up an excuse for everything. For his behavior and for hers. There was only one image he could not completely banish from his mind. One moment which haunted him. It was the look on Hermione's face, when her cheeks had burned bright red and she'd looked away. Had that really been necessary of him? To make her think he was making fun of her? Draco didn't know what was happening to him, because he actually felt sorry.

* * *

Both soon found something new to speculate about, as something huge was announced to the students of Hogwarts. The Tri-Wizard Tournament. Hermione especially became absorbed with worry for Harry, whose name had somehow been ejected from the Goblet of Fire. She soon became too busy to let Draco occupy her thoughts, except for occasional dreams, and those she dismissed, pushing them to the very back of her mind. She also had something else to keep her thoughts entertained. The Tri-Wizard Tournament had meant the arrival of students from Beuxbaton's and Durmstrangs. This included the Durmstrang champion, Victor Krum. He was handsome, Hermione thought, though in a different way than Draco. Draco was smooth and refined, and almost elegant. Victor on the other hand was chiseled and rugged- a much rougher kind of handsome. Another thing which made Victor different from Draco was that he'd actually given her a kind look, even an appraising look.

Hermione laid in bed and, without intending to, made a mental list comparing the traits between Victor and Draco._ Victor's eyes are dark, and Draco's are light. Really most everything about Victor is darker than Draco- hair, complexion...everything except of course disposition. They both have pretty sexy voices... I haven't really heard Victor say much though. And Victor might actually be kind to me._

Hermione rolled over and smiled. Victor Krum might be just the fantasy she needed to divert herself from the silly feelings she was having. After all, Draco Malfoy was her enemy.

Wasn't he?

A/N Sorry about the shorter installment. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon AND hopefully y'all will give me reviews which will encourage me to do so ;) Thanks for reading! :)


	4. Chapter 4

It was the night of the Yule Ball. Draco Malfoy was completely miserable. Pansy Parkinson was hanging to his arm, whining in his ear about one thing or another. It was true that he had had feelings for her previously, but lately she just didn't seem to be right for him. He wished her hair had more volume. Her teeth were a bit too straight, they almost looked fake. Her voice didn't fluctuate enough when she spoke. She never made a smart comment without insulting another individual. She could never be happy with anything. All in all, she wasn't quite like Hermione Granger, and he hated that this bothered him. He sipped a glass of punch quietly, trying to ignore Pansy's high pitched whinings, when he happened to look up. He almost dropped his cup in shock. There was Granger...descending the staircase, and she looked beautiful.

"Oh heavens, Draco!" Pansy whispered with a sharp giggle. "There's Granger. She's so frightful looking normally, I wonder how many enchantments it took her to achieve that." She giggled again. "Looks like she finally put her nerdiness to use."

"You know what Pansy?" Draco said, not caring about how she was going to take it. "Shut up."

Pansy stomped her foot. "Draco Malfoy! You are my date! Now be a gentlemen." she looked at Hermione with rage and jealousy. "I can't see why you're defending a mudblood."

Draco couldn't either.

"Come on," Pansy whined. "Let's go dance," she linked her arm tighter through Draco's and dragged him to the middle of the floor.

* * *

Hermione had never felt so beautiful. She couldn't believe how wonderful things were turning out. Victor seemed so smitten with her and he had actually asked her- Her!- to the Yule Ball. She had spent such a long time getting ready in front of the mirror, she wanted to look perfect. When she finally came down the staircase, she felt that there was no more she could do. She smiled shyly as she realized people were looking at her, some gawking, some smiling, others had expressions she couldn't read, but they didn't matter. She scanned the crowd for the face of her date. Who she saw instead was the person she had trying to rid her mind of, especially now that she and Victor were a sort of thing. As soon as she saw Draco's face she cursed her eyes for always being drawn to him. Draco looked stunning. Then, he always did. So refined and regal and well put together. And while he still looked sophisticated, he looked stunned. She knew he was looking at her. Her heart jumped and she forced herself to break eye contact. This wasn't fair to Victor. Turning her head and telling herself she was not joining to look back at Draco, no matter the temptation, she spotted Victor Krum. She smiled and met him at the bottom of the staircase.

"Herm-own-ninny. You are beautiful," Victor told her. She took his offered arm and murmured a thank you. They danced, and it was enjoyable, but every time Hermione tried to talk to Victor about anything he just seemed confused. He would either cock his head at her, indicating that he didn't understand, or would give three word answers, or would just stare at her. The attention was flattering, but Hermione wasn't having quite the perfect evening she had been expecting.

She broke away from her date for a time, seeking out her best friends. She was nervous for the encounter. Boys could be awfully fussy sometimes, getting weird over things that didn't seem important. In short, in Hermione's opinion, there were many times when boys acted altogether like girls, and it was beginning to grate on her nerves. She took a deep breath and greeted her friends but they seemed to want nothing to do with her, Ron especially. Ron... Hermione didn't want to think about that either. There were times that she suspected he liked her, and there had been times, many times, she had suspected she liked him too. But lately her attraction for him just wasn't there. The way he fumbled with words no longer seemed quite so endearing, and much as she hated to admit it, there were just times his hair seemed a little _too_ red. She knew that Ron had noticed the change. It wasn't like they had ever been together. Truth be told, they argued just as much, they had basically the same relationship they'd had previously. But Hermione couldn't act towards him with quite the same passion she had before. She was just too confused. She felt flustered but she knew that if she didn't speak first they weren't going to say anything to her.

"Hey guys," she began lamely, finishing with some comment about the warmth.

"Where's Victor?" Ron asked scathingly. "Or has he gotten you to call him Vicky yet?"

"What," Hermione asked. "Is your problem?"

Ron launched into a tirade about her flaws at being a friend, spewing a load of ridiculous logic, saying she was fraternizing with the enemy. Hermione couldn't believe this. And she had honestly had feeling for the boy in the past. Oh, how she felt foolish now.

"Are you going to say anything Harry?" she asked, getting upset.

"I don't mind that you came with Krum," Harry said quietly.

"Well, I'm glad you approve!" Hermione replied sarcastically.

"Well if we all love Vicky so much, why don't you go find him?" Ron spat.

"Don't call him Vicky!" Hermione was done. She half ran, angry and confused, away from her supposed two best friends. She didn't want to see Victor either. She didn't need people judging her any more. She didn't need him to call her Herm-own-ninny and attempt small talk about things which really didn't matter. All she needed was time to herself, to figure out her feelings. She ran down the hall and crashed into an empty classroom, relieved there wasn't a snogging couple inside, and she broke down. She fell to the floor, sobbing. The door opened and she heard a footstep behind her.

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" Hermione cried, expecting Harry, Ron, or Victor behind her. What she wasn't ready for was the cool voice which sent an unwilling shiver down her spine saying, "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

She whirled around and found herself caught in that silver gaze again.

A/N: I liked this chapter! :) oooh. sorry that its getting a little out of canon now but that kind of needs to happen a tad doesn't it? Because Canon doesn't equal Hermione and Draco-ness does it? REVIEW! I need revieeeews. :) It'll give you brownie points, I promise.


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